Besides the strings as we have seen in the previous lesson, a cell can also use a numeric value. Microsoft Excel supports
different types of numbers, including integers, decimal values, and currencies,
positives and negatives.

All the techniques we have studied for copying, cutting, or
moving cells are also available for cells that contain numbers.

To enter a number into a cell, you can click that cell and
type the number. To specify the sign of a number, the English language uses the
+ and the - symbols. If you simply type a number without a sign, the number is
referred to as unsigned. The number is considered positive, which means it is
equal to or greater than 0. An alternative is to add a sign to the number. Such
a number becomes considered "signed".

A number is referred to as negative if it is less than 0.
Microsoft Excel provides various ways of giving this information. To enter a
negative value in a cell:

Type - followed by the number

Enter the number in (between an opening and a closing) parentheses

A Numeric Value as Text

When you enter a number in a cell, Microsoft Excel
automatically recognizes it as such and aligns it to the right side of the cell.
Sometimes, you will want Microsoft Excel to treat the content of a cell as text
and not as a normal numeric value.

To treat a number as text:

If you are entering the number, start it with ' and follow it by the value

If the number exists already:

Click the cell to make it active. On the Ribbon, click Home. In the
Number section, click the arrow of the combo box and select Text

Right-click the cell and click Format Cells... In the Format property
page of the Format Cells dialog box, in the Category list, click Text
and click OK

Practical Learning:
Entering a Numeric Value as Text

Open the Grier Summer Camp3.xlsx workbook and click the Employment
Application1 if necessary to activate it

Click Cell B32 and type '1.

Press Enter

Click Cell B38, type '2. and press Enter

Click Cell B44, type '3. and press Enter

Categories of Numeric Values

Introduction

As mentioned already, Microsoft Excel provides support for various types of
numbers. This is not just about allowing different types of numbers into cells.
The application has default mechanisms to recognize a type of number and
sometimes format it appropriately. Still, because it is just a machine-driven
operator, it can present results you do not want or even did not intend. You can
then work on the cells and make them apply the settings you want. Fortunately,
Microsoft Excel provides all the tools you would need. You can also use your own
knowledge of computer applications to perform some of the configurations.

To illustrate the various uses of numbers, we will use this
section as our introduction to the practice of transaction analysis of
accounting. To have an idea of the design of the worksheet we will use, you
should take a look at our article on transaction
analysis.

Integers

An integer a number that does not have a decimal part. Microsoft
Excel supports small to very large numbers. To use an integer, click a cell
and type it. If the number is greater that 999, you can simply enter it. If you
want such a number to be easily readable and use the thousand separator, you can
enter it with that character. The thousand separator in the US English is the
comma as it can be verified in the Regional Options from Control Panel. It is
represented in the Digit Grouping Symbol combo box:

To display the number with the thousand separator, use it
when entering the number.

In the following workbook, the company College Park Auto
Park starts with a budget of $18,000. This is already entered in the worksheet
in the Cash account as an
asset for 18,000. To balance the equation, the capital of the company is
recorded as 18,000.

Practical Learning:
Introducing Numeric Data Entry

Open the CPAR1.xlsx workbook

The company purchases two large garbage cans for the shop, a medium
garbage can for the office, a box of toilet paper, hand soap
and lotion for the restroom, four towels, and printing paper. The company spends
320. This amount is recorded in the Supplies account but the Cash decreases
for the same amount.
Click Cell C7 and type -320

Click Cell G7 and type +320

The company subscribes to various magazines that the customers will read while
waiting. The owner does not yet pay for them but promises to pay in a few
days. The company gets the bills by fax for those subscriptions. The total
amount of the subscriptions is 120. Since the amount has not yet been paid (but will be
paid), the Accounts Payable receives an increase of 120 and the
Capital account decreases by the same amount.
Click Cell K10 and type +120

Click Cell M10 and type -120

Paul Jeffreys takes 350 from the cashier for personal use. As a result, the Cash account
decreases by that amount and the Capital decreases by the same amount.
Click Cell C13 and type -350

Click Cell M13 and type -350

The company pays the magazines subscription for the total amount owed. As a result,
the Cash account decreases by 120 and the Accounts Payable decreases by the
same amount.
Click Cell C15 and type -120

Click Cell K15 and type -120

Press Ctrl + Home

Decimal Numbers

Generally, a number is referred to as decimal when it is
made of two sections separated by a symbol called the decimal symbol. In US
English, the decimal symbol is the period.

The left side of the decimal symbol contains one or more
digits. If the number on that part is less than 1000, you can just use it like
that. If the number is equal to or greater than 1000, if you want, you can make
it display the thousand separator. When entering the number in a cell, if the
number on the left side of the decimal symbol is 0, you can omit it. On the
right side of the decimal symbol, you use digits only.

If the number in a cell appears as an integer and you want
to convert it to its decimal equivalent:

Click the number. On the Ribbon, click Home. In the Number section, click
the arrow of the combo box and select Number

Right-click the number and click Format Cells... In the Number tab of the
Format Cells dialog box, in the Categories list, click Number and click OK

Practical Learning:
Entering Decimal Values

The company acquires a tire changer that retails for $1250. The company promises to
pay for it in the future (but the machine is delivered, thus acquired). The
Accounts Payable receives an increase of 1250 and the Equipment account
receives an increase of 1250.
Click Cell I8 and type +1,150

Click Cell K8 and type +1,150

The company purchases a computer and an All-In-One printer. The total is 1850. This is
recorded in the Equipment account after the Cash account has decreased for
the same amount.
Click Cell C9 and type -1,700

Click Cell I9 and type +1,700

The company replaces tires and makes many other
repairs for various cars. The
company makes 2650 on that day and all customers pay everything they
owe. As a
result, the Cash and the Capital accounts increase each by that amount.
Click Cell C11 and type +2,650

Click Cell M11 and type +2,650

The company performs a tune-up, installs new brakes, and changes the whole muffler
system for Customer Gertrude Monay. When presented with the invoice of 1050,
the customer pays 650. The rest would be paid at a later date. As a result,
the Cash account gets 650 (the amount the customer actually paid). The
Capital account gets 1050 (the full amount the customer was supposed to
pay). The Accounts Receivable gets the balance (1050 - 650 = 400) that will
be paid in the future.
Click Cell C12 and type +650

Click Cell E12 and type +400

Click Cell M12 and type +1,050

The company performs tune-up and changes the brakes for various
customers. The
company makes $1750 on that day. Its Cash account increases by 1500 and the Capital also
increases by 1500.
Click Cell C14 and type +1,750

Click Cell M14 under the Capital account and type +1,750

Gertrude Monay comes to pay her balance. Therefore, the Cash account
increases for the amount she pays and the Accounts Receivable decreases by
the same amount.
Click Cell C16 and type +400

Click Cell E16 and type -400

The company pays the rent for 2250, pays a guy who came to help at the shop for
350,
pays the electric bill for 220. This means that the cash flow decreases by
that total. Each expense is subtracted from the Capital account (you must
enter each expense on its own line as a negative value in the Capital
column).
Click Cell C17 and type -2,820

Click Cell M17 and type -2,250

Click Cell M18 and type -350

Click Cell M19 and type -220

Press Ctrl + Home

The CPAR1.xlsx workbook should still be opened

Click the Repair Invoice tab

Enter the following information:

Invoice #:

1001

Name:

Gertrude Monay

Make:

Honda

Model:

Accord

Year:

2002

Save the workbook

Currency Values

A currency value is a number that displays with the symbol
that represents a monetary value. In US English, this symbol is $ as you can see
in the Customize Regional Options from the Control Panel:

To enter a number as currency for US English, click the
cell, type $ followed by the number. You can enter the number as an integer or
as a decimal value. After entering the number, Microsoft Excel would convert it
to currency.

To convert the value of a cell to currency:

Click the cell. On the Ribbon, click Home. In the Number section, click
the arrow of the combo box and click Currency or Accounting

Click the cell. On the Ribbon, click Home. In the Number section, click
the Accounting Number Format button

Right-click the cell and click Format Cells... In the Categories list of
the Number property page of the Format Cells dialog box, click Currency and
click OK

By default, if you are using a computer where the US English
version of Microsoft Windows is installed, the $ is considered the currency. If
you want to use a different currency, click the cell. On the Ribbon, click Home.
In the Number section, click the arrow the $ button and select from the list:

Practical Learning:
Entering Currency Values

Enter the following information (remember to type the $:

Part #

Part Name

Unit Price

Qty

759073

Air Filter

$20.15

1

391536

Fuel Filter

$50.85

1

205884

Spark Plugs

$4.15

4

Job Performed

Rate

Replaced the air filter, the
fuel filter, and the spark plugs

$50

Adjusted the valves

$125

Save the workbook

Percentage Values

One of the most commonly used type of number in a
spreadsheet displays as a percentage value. To enter a percentage value in a
cell, type the number followed by the % symbol. To convert a number to a
percentage:

Click the cell. On the Ribbon, click Home. In the Number section, click
the arrow of the combo box and select Percentage

Click the cell. On the Ribbon, click Home. In the Number section, click
the Percent Style button

Right-click the cell and click Format Cells... In the Categories list of
the Number property page of the Format Cells dialog box, click Percentage
and click OK